Time Machine Trip to April 1910

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

April 1, 1910

Arthur Bayorgeon, the well-known local musician, has recently composed a very pretty march which will soon be placed on sale. Plates are now at The Times office ready for printing and the sheet music will soon be ready for dealers. A special designed title page printed in purple gives the name of the new piece as the "Purple and White March," the same being dedicated to the B.P.O. Elks of America, purple and white being their colors.

Frank Wright’s Kaukauna livery stock including horses, carriages, sleighs and harness were sold to Mr. Martin of Spenser. Mr. Martin traded a farm located in Oconto County for the entire outfit.

The Fox River opened for navigation from Green Bay to Portage earlier this year than any that can be remembered.

April 8, 1910

Mayor John Coppes - Election Day in Kaukauna Tuesday passed off very quietly, many not even taking interest enough to go and vote. The day was very disagreeable wet overhead, wet under foot, and even "wet" in the ballot boxes when the outcome of several contests were made known, for there seems to be no doubt now but what the question of saloon regulations entered more or less into the result of the local election. It can be seen very plainly that the sentiment of the voters was guided to quite an extent by the platforms as outlined by the two candidates for mayor. John Coppes won an overwhelming majority of 444 votes over Julius J. Martens, out of a total of but 965 cast.

April 15, 1910

The Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company has commenced making an important improvement which for some time they have had in contemplation after plans drawn by O'Keefe & Orbison, Appleton, and which will shut down that part of their plant containing No. 2 paper machine and five beaters. They will build two new beaters to take the place of two which are worn out and will repair the paper machine which is now being dismantled, while the main work is in progress which consists of putting in a new flume two new water-wheels and laying a concrete steel reinforced floor under No. 2 machine and the five beater engines in the same room.

The river levels have dropped since the Neenah and Menasha Waterpower Company was organized for the purpose of careful storage of water in the lake. We now need a heavy and consistence rainfall.

The Chicago & Northwestern railroad has determined to make Sunday a day of rest as far as possible. Work in all departments other than those necessary to operate the system will be suspended.

Charles Towsley purchased an automobile at Oshkosh. It is a five passenger, four cylinders Studebaker car of thirty horsepower. This makes another valuable addition to the family of automobiles of Kaukauna.

A class of twenty-five will graduate from the Kaukauna High School in June. The seniors who will receive their diplomas are:

Latin Course – Flossie Armstrong, Arthur Anderson, Elizabeth Boettcher, Henry Cook, Charles Clune, Agnes Fell, Josephine Eiting, Myrtle Hays, Ted Scholl, Winifred Ryan, Ralph Wittmann.

German Course – Irene Gray, Mary Hoolihan, Eric Lindburg, Anna Mitchell, Ruth Bonnsville, William Schrader, Agnes Taugher, Bert Van Roy.  

English Course – Lois Lambie, James Kavanaugh, Mary Mankoskey, Irene Miller, Frank O’Brian, Edward Schreiner.

April 22, 1910

For some time, past there has been talk of a motion picture theatre on the south side and plans were rounded into shape last week when Messrs. Roy Kuehn, Albert Paschen and a couple of associates, contracted with Luther Lindauer for the store room in the second street block formerly occupied by the Savings Center. Carpenters are now busy transforming the interior and front into a theatre to be known as the Crystal, which the boys hope to have ready for business within three or four weeks.

April 29, 1910

It is almost incredible to believe that we should have passed through such extreme cold for this season of the year when with fruit buds just ready to burst into bloom that all kinds of tree fruits are not ruined. A most remarkable sight was witnessed by everyone who took pains to examine the apple and cherry buds, as each one was encrusted with a coat of ice which seemed more a protection than otherwise as the ice was not frozen to the buds but formed a hollow sphere all around them—each bud resting in its own little globe of crystal, with the ground beneath them covered six inches deep with snow.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens foremost humorist and known worldwide as “Mark Twain” has died at the age of 75. He was born on November 30, 1835 and grew up in the little town of Hannibal, Mo. “I enjoyed reading his books as a boy. My favorites were The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Prince and The Pauper.” – Charles Raught, Times editor.

Kaukauna’s north side has been under the fear of rabies. A dog has bitten several other dogs and all display signs of rabies. A cow belonging to Joseph Hoffman, Lawe Street was bitten by a dog and died a week later.

Time Machine Trip to April 1900

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

April 6, 1900

The voters of Kaukauna no longer know a political party. They pick their man and vote regardless of what ticket he’s on.

Julius Kuehn was elected mayor of this city on Tuesday, defeating H. S. Cooke for the position. Kuehn won the race by 131 vote majorities, securing big wins in the third and fourth wards, giving him the advantage.

The career of Susan B. Anthony, who has retired from the presidency of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association and to who in honor of her eightieth birthday, a grand reception was tendered in Washington. She made her first speech in public in 1849 in New York.

April 13, 1900

Eden Park Hall together with adjoining buildings was destroyed by fire about 1 o’clock this morning.  Thus, passes into history what at one time was one of the handsomest summer resorts in Wisconsin. About fifteen years ago Louis Altendorf bought the land on the bluff overlooking the Fox and converted the spot into what seemed rightly named a garden of Eden, or Eden Park. It soon became Kaukauna’s nook of Paradise. A large entertainment hall, bowling alley and other amusement were erected. Docks welcomed excursion boats to the park. The Kaukauna Fire Department responded to the fire but was prevented from crossing the street to extinguishing the flames, as the park was outside of the city limits.  

April 20, 1900

The public library is about to place 400 new books on their shelves. An installment of 166 of the lot arrived Saturday, which Miss Bell, the librarian is now busy cataloguing and arranging.

Arthur Beck, the lineman who roosted on the telephone pole on the northside for several hours last Friday evening in defiance of police demands to come down, and in the meantime entertained a large audience below with yards of the most vulgar language ever heard outside the realms of Hades, was arraigned before Justice Koch the next day and paid $28.38 for his choice bit of amusement.

April 27, 1900

Last Friday was pay-day at the Combined Locks Paper Mill and one of the employees, a machine tender, drew $87.00 for his month’s work.  While changing his cloths he laid his coat containing the money in a small pocketbook on a sill of an open window over the river. A slight touch dislodged the coat, which fell into the swift current and soon sank out of sight. The employees of the mill turned out and searched for a long time but could not find any trace of the coat or pocketbook.

Republicans and Democrats alike are devising all kinds of schemes to reduce the surplus of revenue now piling up in the treasury. It is strange, but under Democratic administration it was not necessary to enact legislation to prevent an abnormal growth of the surplus.

 

Time Machine Trip to April 1890

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

April 4, 1890

  Luther Lindauer                Michael Sullivan

Incumbent Mayor M. Sullivan was easily defeated in Tuesday's election by challenger Luther Lindauer. Lindauer's biggest margin of victory in individual wards came in the second ward, where he held a 162-62 vote advantage.

It is now said on the highest official authority that Queen Victoria of England is seriously considering the step of abdicating the throne. The aged Queen is now convinced that her son, the Prince of Wales, ought to have a chance to play the leading role in England. One strong objection the queen has, to abdicating is the idea of being called ex-queen.  She will be called Queen the rest of her life.

April 11, 1890

Chicago, Ill., April 7 – The Carpenters’ strike took place this morning. It is estimated that between 5000 and 6000 men are out.  The carpenter work on all large jobs has been brought to a standstill. This same strike four years ago resulted in the growth of the Anarchist agitation that culminated into the Haymarket riots. The strikers are out for increased wages and for an eight-hour workday.

St. Louis, Mo., April 7 – Valentine Setting and his wife went out driving in Forest Park yesterday. Mr. Setting is a jeweler and through hard work succeeded in accumulating $4605 which was kept in the house. On starting for the drive being afraid to leave the money in the house during his absence, Mrs. Setting put the money at the bottom of a paper bag containing oranges. During the drive through the park the couple ate the oranges then threw the bag away. They did not discover their loss until late in the evening and all attempts to find the package proved unavailing.

A core-wheel at the American Pulp Mill was damaged last Saturday and the mill necessarily shut down. Times reporter is informed that the same will not be put in operation again, but steps will at once be taken towards constructing the new paper mill.

A horrible story comes from Morocco. A large box was recently brought from the interior to the port for shipment. When opened a ghastly sight was revealed. In the box packed closely together, the bodies of 17 young women, and one man. All of victims had been decapitated with their heads being missing. This latter had been to all appearances, the work of some Pasha, who thus visited vengeance on his harem for unfaithfulness.

April 18, 1890

The large pinion purchased by the city for the draw bridge for the purpose of increasing the speed in opening and closing the same has been tried and proves useless. While one man could handle the bridge with ease with the old gearing, it was difficult for two to perform the work with the new one, and consequently it has been discarded.

Kaukauna High School students at Nicolet School.

Most all residents of Kaukauna have at times read about strikes that were on in large cities. Last Saturday the switchmen in the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western yards here gave notice to the officials of the road that they wanted an increase in wages and also more help. If their demand was not conceded to by six o’clock that evening a strike would follow. No reply was received on the demand and gradually the tracks in the yard began to fill up with cars. Even a passenger train could not find a track to pass through.

Henry Landreman, of this city, a baggage man on the Milwaukee Lake Shore road met with a painful accident at Grim’s Station last Friday night. While swinging a switch he was struck by and engine and narrowly escaped losing a leg.

Anderson, a Lake Shore fireman from this place met with an accident at Manitowoc last Friday which resulted in the loss of a portion of a foot. He was attending the engine when another engine assisting the train began to move.

New York pickpockets have invented a new scheme for robbing people. It is to pour kerosene or alcohol over the back of a man’s coat and touch a match thereto. Then, while helping to extinguish the flames, they “lift” the victim’s watch and money. The moral is that whenever you find yourself on fire as you walk along the street you must slug everyone who comes near you.  As to the fire chasing up your back and singeing your back hair, Good Luck.

The men unloading wood for the pulp mill in Kimberly struck for more pay last Saturday. They were at once paid off and replaced with a new crew.

April 25, 1890

Simons & Tuttle have just completed the largest whistle in this part of the state. The bell thereof is thirty inches high and ten inches in diameter. It will be attached to the Kaukauna Fiber Company’s boiler.

Considerable speculation is heard in reference to the population of Kaukauna. Many are of the opinion that the list of residents will surpass 6,000 while others express doubts of it passing 5,000. The census will be taken in June and the matter settled. If you would venture a guess to the Times with the nearest to the correct number will receive THE TIMES two years free of charge.

The Czar’s palace at Oranienbaum, Russia, has been destroyed by fire. He has been burnt out of his home, with an anarchist lying in wait at every turn to toss a bomb for the purpose of blowing his Royal Highness from this mundane sphere. What a life to live? The life of a country editor is bad enough, but the Czar’s discounts it ten-fold.

Milwaukee needs a large number of new school buildings. Hundreds of children are being refused admission to the schools owing to lack of room. Why should we expend money for parks, city hall and others that are in no hurry and suffer children to grow up in ignorance?

Time Machine Trip to March 1960

Kaukauna Times - by Lyle Hansen

March 2, 1960

The Queen of Tops Club in Kaukauna for 1959 is Mrs. Robert Walker center. At right is Mrs. George Steffens, the runner-up. Mrs. Orry Schmalz is president of the Kaukauna unit is pictured at left.

March 4, 1960

The 1959-1960 The Eagle scout award was presented to Michael Chopin, son of Mr. and Mrs. CArl Chopin, Kaukauna. at a court of honor at Holy Cross. Former scoutmaster Leo Eimmerman looked on. 

March 9, 1960

The 1959-1960 season of the Kaukauna Ghosts basketball team has come to an end. The Ghosts lost to Oshkosh 67-66 in the regional finals. This has been one of the most successful seasons in history of the school. Left to right front row are manager Jerry Hennes, Harry Gast, Jim Steger, Dennis Priebe, and head coach Gerald Hopfensperger. Second row Dale Van Dyke, DeLyle Bowers, Steve Mayer, Bill Borcherdt, and Ken Kavanaugh. Back row Mike Landreman, Myron Zachowski, LeRoy Weyenberg, Bill Van Offeren and Bill Vander Pas.  

March 11, 1963

National Girl Scout week was celebrated by girls from troop 29 with a display in the Hartjes display window and served cookies to customers. Pictured left to right are Barbara Czekalski, Lois Hansen, Julie Brooks, troop leader, Mrs. Joseph Van Drasek, Beth Tullock, Pattie Hagstrom, Donna Smith and Gail School. 

March 16, 1960

Holy Cross parochial school students had an Art Show. Eighth grade students Lester O’Brien, Judy Vanderloop, Judy Jansen and Richard Stegeman are the winners. 

Dick’s Drive-In   Hamburgers – French Fries and Triple Milk Shakes all sell for 20c.

March 18, 1960

The city council authorized the annexation of 23 acres from the Town of Buchanan in the city. The land is located between Crooks Avenue and Hendricks Avenue and south of Ann Street.

Leroy Weyenberg was named honorary captain of the Mid-Eastern conference and Bill Borcherdt was named the teams’ most valuable player for the season.

March 30, 1960

James Gustman was elected president of the Kaukauna Rotary. He succeeds Stephen Baisch to the office. Paul West was elected vice president of the club.

March 31, 1960

Kaukauna High School's high scoring center, Leroy Weyenberg, for the second straight year, captured the conference scoring title with 321 points in Mid-Eastern conference play, and in the process set a new Kaukauna High School all-time scoring record. Including non-conference games, the lanky 6-5 Ghost racked up 488 points, averaging over 23 points an outing. In his three-year career in a Kaukauna uniform, Weyenberg totaled 1,003 points, which gives him the all-time scoring mark for a Kaukauna player.

The KHS Freshman basketball team, which placed second in the Fox Valley loop. Left to right back row are Dick Promer, Joe Mayerl, Dan Van Dyke, Pat Courtney, Tom Otte and Tony Schuette. Center row Mike Kobussen, Tom Hiestand, Howie Jansen, Harry Wheelock, Don Straus and Ron Straus. Front row manager Robert Ludke, Steve Hilgenberg, Jerry Ebben, Bob Dix, Jerry Kobussen, Ed Lutzow and coach David Hash.  

THE KHS GIRLS TUMBLING TEAM Pictured about left to right in the front row are Gretchen Kuhn holding Connie Henricks, Lois Woelz and Lindy Kemp holding Jane Barribeau. In the back row are Dawn Voet holding Marianne Lamine, Judy Jacobson and Marilyn Hilgenberg hold Karen Krumm and Mary Behnke hold Linda Biselx.

Time Machine Trip to March 1950

March 1, 1950

The equipment and franchise owned by the Kaukauna Transit Co. may be sold to Earl Arnoldussen if approval is granted by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, it was announced today. Arnoldussen at present a driver for the company and Elwood Kobussen, owner of the line, traveled to Madison yesterday for the determination. 

Pfc. Eugene Walker of the U. S. Army Air Corps is spending a 16-day furlough with his parents on West Seventh Street. He has just completed the Airplane Engineering Mechanics course. He will be leaving for Hamilton Airforce Base, California.

Joe Hinkens of Park and Jack Blumreich of Lutheran, broke the previous individual scoring mark in the Grade basketball loop. Hinkens set the new record by cracking 165 points this year. Blumreich ran a close second finishing the year with 144 points.

Richard W. Biese, fireman apprentice, USN, was a recent graduate of the Navy’s Electric Interior Communications school at Great Lakes, Ill.

March 3, 1950

“Boxing is no more dangerous as a school sport than football,” Coach Fred Barribeau told members of the Kaukauna Rotary Club at the Ritz Wednesday noon.

March 8, 1950

Kaukauna police were notified by the Appleton police that a car of youths, in a stolen car, were heading toward Kaukauna. Sergeant Jahns and Patrolman Willian Nagel in the city police car encountered the speeding car at Hwy 41 and Gertrude Street. Jahns reported that the car was traveling 90-miles-an- hour when it passed them. Taking up the chase the police car attained 90 mph but failed to gain on the fugitive vehicle. Radioing Green Bay police, the car was stopped in Green Bay and the eight youths ranging in age from 15 to 21 were taken in custody.

Jacob Van Linn, Kaukauna, has been promoted from corporal to sergeant. He is stationed with the army at Andrews Field, Maryland.

March 10, 1950

An order by the State committee on water pollution, read to the City Council Tuesday night, stipulated that the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company alter its present sanitary sewer system so that its sewage affluent is discharged into the Kaukauna municipal sewage system on or before November 1, 1950.

Shorter working hours for police and firemen of Kaukauna was urged in a communication to the city council. Member of the fire department asked that a 72-hour work week be established for the department and a 48-hour work week for the police department now operated under a 56-hour work week.

Kaukauna’s electric utility has the lowest residential rate in the state, according to Manager H. F. Weckwerth. The 1948 rate of 1.59 cents per kilowatt hour.

March 15, 1950

The Kaukauna Homemakers and Professional Women’s clubs presented a style show last week. Above young the boys are David Foxgrover, Paul, James and Peter Berens.

Elwood Kobussen retained ownership of the Kaukauna Transit company when Earl Arnoldussen failed to purchase the line. Kobussen stated that due to losses in the past, some service to the city will be cut. Effective immediately the service will run Monday through Saturday. There will be no service on Sunday’s. 

Corporal Donald H. Hietpas, Kaukauna, who is stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany was chosen Soldier of the Month. Cpl. Hietpas will receive a three-day pass and a cigarette lighter with his name and organization engraved on it.  

Marvin “Doc” Hartjes, Ray Bongers, Postmistress Ann Metz, Jerome Vanden Heuvel.

Little Chute – Mail service in the community of 4,000 will begin April 3, Postmistress Ann Metz disclosed this week. Official approval of the plans for regular delivery has been sent from Washington and three carriers have already been appointed, she said.

March 22, 1950

Ray Plzak was elected commander of Electric City post No. 3319, Veterans of Foreign Wars at a meeting of the post last week at the VFW club house. Don Wenzel is the retiring commander. 

March 29, 1950

The sale of the Northland Engineering Company, manufacturers of farm equipment to the Badger Farm Equipment Company of Dundas was announced here yesterday. The Badger Farm Equipment Company would resume production of the Northland line within the next two weeks.

Pvt. Robert Agen, Kaukauna, has recently been assigned to Service Battery Field Artillery Battalion from the Military Police Headquarters at Camp Drew, Japan.

March 31, 1950

Eugene Smith, right, presents Helmer Damro of the Kaukauna Rod and Gun club with the 57^th rabbit he has trapped in the city this year. The sportsmen’s club releases the animals in the country to build up game reserves for hunting.  

1950 Cadillac Coupe Deville 

Time Machine Trip to March 1940

Kaukauna Times - By Lyle Hansen

March 1, 1940

The common council at a meeting Tuesday evening “did not see fit” to grant the firemen and policemen and increase in salary which would restore their pay to the schedule effective in 1932 before salaries were slashed. The salaries will remain the same as last year.

Five hundred two old different varieties of trees will be planted in La Follette and Riverside parks this spring had been ordered by Lester Brenzel city clerk.

 

Boxing team – Top row; C. H. Kemp, coach, I. Schatzka, G. Reichelt, P. Feldt, T. Velte, C. Spice, J. Velte, C. Giordana. Second row: J. Byrns, M. Niesen, P. Female, D, Keil, G. Hennes, G. Steffens, J. Rioux, N. Steffens, E. Boettcher, manager. Front Row: M. Peters, R. Nagel, M. Hooyman, J. Roberts, R. Mitchler, D. Reichelt, R. Lizon and J. Head.

Coach Cliff H. Kemp’s squad will open the high school leather-slinging campaign on Tuesday evening when St. Norbert High of De Pere invades the Kaukauna gymnasium. With a squad of 33 men working under Kemp the squad is rapidly nearing the fine condition and fitness that carried the squad through an undefeated season last year. Gordon Hennes a three-year letter winner is captain and fights at 115 pounds.

March 6, 1940

Holy Cross copped the grade school basketball title Saturday by scoring a 17 to 9 win over St. Mary’s for their sixth straight league win. Ives and Lucassen led Holy Cross attack with 7 and 6 points. Van de Loo scored four points for St. Mary’s.

The old Lawe homestead, which has watched Kaukauna grow during the last 70 years, has been purchased by the Electric City Post 3319 Veterans of Foreign Wars. The home will be remodeled and painted and used as a meeting place for the organization.

March 8, 1940

Kaukauna won its first game in the Menasha regional cage tournament Wednesday defeating Menasha 30 to 22 to advance to the semifinals and meet the De Pere Red Birds.

March 13, 1940

The Pirates are of the professional football map because President Arthur Rooney of the club has selected the name of “Steelers” for his Smoky City outfit. Some 3000 names were suggested to the owner before deciding the “Steelers’ was best suited for the team. 

The Green Bay Packers basketballers have added a new act to their caging show. Between halves Arnold Herber and Johnny Blood stage a forward passing exhibition which makes the fans think they are right back in football seats.

March 20, 1940

The deadline for driving automobiles in Wisconsin with the 1939 license plates is April 1 – and no fooling the motor vehicle department announced this week.

Kaukauna High School’s record of eight wins against four defeats in the western division basketball conference is the best any Kaukauna High School team ever made in the league. Much credit must be given Coach Guy Krumm for the Kaws’ record which saw them pitching all the way against tough topnotch teams.   

March 22, 1940

Work and direct relief for the month of February cost the city a total of $2,917.11 according to the monthly report submitted by city relief director. There were a total 282 men employed on WPA work projects during February and 34 on city work relief projects.

March 29, 1940

The Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company will hold an open house party Saturday evening in celebration of the renovation of the old Union Bag and Paper Company buildings. Many improvements have been made in the buildings, including new floors, new roofs, and many new windows and doors.

1940 Dodge Convertible